The Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen appealed against the Linkoping Administrative Court’s decision that an injunction was revoked against Zimpler AB.
Spelinspektionen has ordered Zimpler, a payment service provider in Sweden to stop working with non-licensed operators on the Swedish market.
Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen has warned payment provider Zimpler it could face a fine of up to SEK25.0m (PS1.9m/EUR2.2m/$2.4m) if it fails to comply with its order to stop providing services, including the use of e-identification service BankID, for transactions with offshore sites.
Zimpler filed an appeal against that order, and the Administrative Court upheld it last month. The Administrative Court found that the Authority lacked the basis to issue the injunction and subsequently cancelled it.
Spelinspektionen, however, has appealed this verdict. According to the regulator, Zimpler is a Swedish payment company that offered its service in Sweden. This meant games were targeted at Sweden.
The higher court
Spelinspektionen, as part of their appeal, has asked a higher court for an examination of the matter due to the lack of precedent and the reason to question the decision of the administrative court.
Spelinspektionen’s appeal stated that it was important to the administration of law enforcement for this appeal to be examined by a higher court, as there are a number of issues with the way gambling companies have been viewed in Sweden.
Spelinspektionen claimed that the Administrative Court had “assessed legal situations incorrectly”.
Spelinspektionen said that the sites illegal were accessible not only to Swedish consumers but they also appeared as if Zimpler was specifically designed for Sweden’s market.
BankID is only available in Sweden. This was highlighted to Swedish customers as an additional appeal.
Spelinspektionen stated that Zimpler promoted illegal gambling because it knew the status of offshore operators with whom they worked.
Spelinspektionen said: “It is clear that Zimpler has promoted illegally [offshore operators] through its actions.” It is irrelevant whether Zimpler has specifically targeted gambling firms with its payment service.
